Defining Best Interests: See, Listen, and Talk to the Child

Children have the right to express their views on all matters affecting them, meaning they play a key role in determining what aligns with their best interests.
Children themselves are the primary source of information about their own lives and the influence of family culture and values on them. Research shows that professionals working with children often pay limited attention to direct conversations with them, leading to less consideration of their perspectives in decision-making.

Regardless of age, talk to the child. Listen to what they say, take their views seriously, and collaborate with them to understand and meet their needs.
Various barriers can hinder communication with young children. Practitioners should be alert to these barriers and find ways to overcome or avoid them. Potential barriers include:

Time and Workload: Communicating with young children takes time—for observation, engagement, and interaction. Young children have limited attention spans, and practitioners may need to schedule multiple meetings to understand a child’s desires and feelings.

Non-cooperative Parents: Some parents may not want anyone to talk to their child alone. Overcoming this barrier may involve involving a trusted person known to the family, like a family doctor.

Inexperience: Some practitioners may feel inexperienced or lack confidence when working with young children. They may need extra training or support from a more experienced professional. One approach could be practicing in children’s environments, such as preschools, to better understand children’s development, play stages, and interaction styles.

Environment: The setting is crucial for communication with a child. Chaotic environments, particularly at home, may have many distractions, impacting the ability to observe and communicate effectively.

Age: The child’s age and developmental stage may present a barrier—for example, younger children with limited concentration and verbal skills, or preschoolers who may be reluctant to talk. Knowledge of child development and early childhood interaction can help address these challenges.

Additional Needs: For effective communication with children with additional needs, practitioners must consider multiple factors, such as whether they speak the child’s native language and if the child understands it well. Younger children have broad but limited vocabularies and may assign different meanings to words. In such cases, practitioners should involve individuals who know the child well, like parents or caregivers.

Lack of Creative Tools: Practitioners can benefit from a set of practical resources to support creative work with children. This could include colored pencils, paper, soft toys, small toys (building blocks, dolls, toy cars, a toy phone, etc.). A basic “tool kit” for interaction can be assembled with a limited budget.

Lack of Support: Practitioners need managerial support to develop skills and confidence for effective communication with young children. It’s crucial for managers and leaders to understand that practitioners may need additional time and resources for meaningful communication with very young children.